External Trajectory Planning for Driverless Vehicle Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for driverless vehicle transfer within closed areas are hindered by the requirement for vehicles to have sufficient sensor technology and computing power, limiting their ability to navigate without a driver, especially in factory or distribution settings where not all vehicles are equipped with necessary technology.
Innovation Solution
An external infrastructure with sensor technology along travel paths communicates with a cloud-based data processing system to perform trajectory planning, using vehicle odometry data and synchronized timestamps to control actuators, allowing vehicles to follow predetermined routes without internal sensor technology or computing power, utilizing existing mobile radio connections for communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If trajectory planning is performed inside the vehicle using internal sensor technology and computing power, then the vehicle can autonomously navigate, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external infrastructure as an intermediary between the vehicle and the trajectory planning system. Sensors positioned along the travel path detect vehicle position and communicate it to an external data processing system, which performs trajectory planning and sends control commands to the vehicle. This mediator approach allows autonomous navigation without requiring complex sensor technology or computing power inside the vehicle itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/computational system inside the vehicle (sensors, processors, trajectory planners) with an external system. Instead of the vehicle having its own trajectory planning capability, the function is substituted by an external infrastructure that uses positioned sensors and remote data processing to achieve the same navigation outcome.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual vehicle transfer is used with a driver, then the vehicle can be moved flexibly, but personnel expenses and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle transfer system operates autonomously without human drivers. The external sensor infrastructure continuously monitors vehicle position and the data processing system automatically generates trajectory commands, enabling the vehicle to service itself through autonomous navigation along predetermined routes, eliminating the need for manual operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the driver function from the vehicle operation system. Instead of requiring a human operator inside the vehicle to control movement, the navigation intelligence is extracted and placed in the external infrastructure, allowing the vehicle to be transferred automatically along predefined paths without personnel expenses.
3Ease of manufacture
If vehicles without sufficient sensor technology and computing power are used, then equipment costs are reduced, but the ability to drive driverless is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The external infrastructure serves multiple vehicles simultaneously, providing trajectory planning and navigation guidance to any vehicle that enters the system. Rather than each vehicle needing its own dedicated sensor suite and computing power, a single universal external system provides these functions for all vehicles in the closed area, enabling driverless transfer for simple, cost-effective vehicle designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing trajectory planning for the driverless transfer of a vehicle within a closed area is proposed. In the method, an external data processing system performs trajectory planning for travelling a predetermined route from a starting point to a destination point within the closed area without a driver. Trajectory planning is based on data transmitted from components of a vehicle-external infrastructure to the external data processing system, including object data and at least one exact pose of the vehicle at predetermined points in time. The planned trajectory is then transmitted to the vehicle for execution.